Lever mechanism



R. L. FORD.

LEVER MECHANISM. I APPLICATION FILED MAY27, 191a.

Patented Jan. 25,1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH L. FORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER GOMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY,

LEVER MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Application filed May 27, 1918. Serial No. 236,935.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH L. F om), a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lever Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to lever mechanism, and more particularly to the type of lever mechanism used in connection with agricultural machines, such, for instance, as planters.

In operating machines of this character wherein a supplemental frame such as a furrow opener frame is hinged to the main frame of the machine, it is desirable at times to adjust the supplemental or furrow opener frame to a fixed position with relation to the main frame, and at other times to allow the furrow opener frame or auxiliary frame to float with respect to the main frame.

In order to accomplish these results it is necessary that lever mechanism be provided which can be adjusted to such a position as to hold the two frames in definite fixed relation with respect to each other, and which can also be manipulated in such a manner that the two frames will be free to move independently of each other.

The object of the present invention is to provide mechanism whereby these two conditions may be fulfiled, namely, means for maintaining fixed adjustment between the two frames, and means whereby the two frames may float with respect to each other.

With these objects in View my invention is embodied in a lever construction wherein means are provided for locking the lever in a fixed position of adjustment, and means are also provided for rendering the locking means inoperative and for holding the locking means in inoperative, position.

I have disclosed one embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, and in these drawings,-

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the improved lever mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in section, showing the construction of the lever and locking pawl;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the pawl lifting member.

The lever is bifurcated at its lower end and is pivoted at 11 to a fixed sector 12, which 1n turn is secured to the frame 13 of the machineby suitable securing vmeans 14. The lever is provided with the usual locking pawl 15 which is slidably carried by a casing 16 and is under normal conditlons raised and lowered by means of the usual thumb lever 17 pivoted to the lever and connected to the pawl by a link 18. The casing 16 is secured to the lever 10 at its lower bifurcated portion by means of a bolt 19, and at its upper end has portions 20 which overlap the rear portion of the lever and secure the casing in position thereon. Thls casing is also provided with an inwardly projecting portion 21 received in a slot 22 of the pawl 15, the pawl being gulded in its movement by the side walls of the casing andby the projection 21. The pawl 15 in its normal position coacts with the usual notches26 formed in the upper surface of the sector, and secures the lever in a fixed position of adjustment with relation to the sector.

The means for rendering the pawl inoperative and for holding it in inoperative position will now be described.

A cam lifting member 23 is pivoted on the bolt 19 in the bifurcated lower end of the lever, and the front end of this cam lifting member 25 extends forwardly through the slot 22 of the pawl 15 and has a downwardly extending portion 2 1 which normally contacts with the front wall of the casing and limits the rearward movement of the member 23. This lifting member has-at its rear end a weighted projection 25 which normally holds the member in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Vhen it is desired to lock the pawl in inoperative position in order that the lever may float with respect to the sector, the operator lifts sliding pawl 15 by pressing thumb lever 17 and then by a quick forward thrust of lever 10 cam member 23 will be rotated on bolt 19 to the forward position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The pawl will be retained in this position until the operator presses the thumb lever, raising pawl 15 and by a quick thrust of lever 10 rearwardly, causes the cam member to rotate rearwardly. .The lifting member will thereupon again assume the position shown in full lines and the pawl will drop into the registering notch on the sector 12. As alternative method of raising and locking the pawl, as whenit is not convenient for the operatorto shift the lever 10 by hand, the lifting member 23 may be'thrust forward by foot pressure or by raising the ball 25 whereupon the cam surface of the member by reason of its engagement with the top of the slot 22 Will raise the pawl 15 and hold it in inoperative position. The cam surface on the lifting member is so designed that the lifting memher will be retained in its dotted line position by the weight of the pawl until it is the invent-ion is capable of modification and that modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims:

1. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, a toothed sector, locking means carried by the lever and adapted to engage the sector to lock the lever in fixed position, means for actuating the locking means, and means controlled by said lever for rendering said locking means inoperative.

-2. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, means for locking said lever in a fixed position of adjustment, and means controlled by the movement of said lever for rendering said locking means inoperative and for holding the locking means in inoperative position.

3. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, means including a pawl forloclring said lever in fixed position of adjustment, and means pivoted on said lever and operatively connected with said pawl for rendering said pawl inoperative by a movement of said lever and for holding the pawl in inoperative position. 7

4. In a lever mechanism, a sector, a lever having a bifurcated lower end, the bifurcations being disposed on the opposite sides of said sector, a slidable pawl mounted on'said lever and adapted to cooperate with said having .a bifurcated lower end, the bifurcations being disposed on the opposite sides of said sector, a slotted pawl carried by said lever andadapted to cooperate with said sector and acam member pivoted on said lever between the bifurcations of said lever and engaging the slot in said pawl for rendering said pawl inoperative.

6. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, means including a reciprocable pawl for locking said lever in a fixed position of adjustment, and a cam member pivoted to said lever and operativ ely connected to said pawl for rendering said pawl inoperative and for holding the pawl'in inoperative position.

7. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a. lever, means including a slotted pawl for locking said lever in a fixed position'of adjustment, and pivoted means carried by said lever and extending through the slot in said pawl for rendering the pawl inoperative.

8. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, means including a slotted pawl for locking said lever in a fixed position of adjustment, and a cam member pivoted to said lever and extending through the slot in said pawl for rendering the pawl inoperative.

In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, means including a pawl for looking said lever in a fixed positlon of adjustment, a cam member operatively connected to said pawl for rendering said pawl inoperative, said cam member having means for limiting the movement thereof in one direction.

10. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, means for locking said lever in a fixed position of adjustment, a cam member operatively connected to said locking means fer rendering the locking means inoperative,

said cam member having means for normally holding the same in a predetermined position of adjustment. I

11. In a lever mechanism, the combination of a lever, means for locking the lever in a fixed position of adjustment, a cam member for rendering said locking means inopera tive, said cam member having a portion for limiting the movement thereof in one direction, and having another portion for normally holding the same in a predetermined position of adjustment.

In testimony whereof'l afiix my signature.

RALPH L. FORD. 

